


Nexus

by wooahae



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Comfort/Angst, Developing Friendships, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Crack, Fluff and Humor, Fun, Healthy Relationships, M/M, Multi, Murder, Murder Mystery, Mystery, Summer, Summer Vacation, hi please give my story a chance, idk what are tags, idk what to tag anymore, k byee, more tags to be added as the story progresses, nowa na sai ye, seventeen teen teen teen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-18
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:13:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27621878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wooahae/pseuds/wooahae
Summary: Spending his summers in a small town tucked away in the hills, Jeon Wonwoo has no idea how one fateful summer could change the course of his entire life.
Relationships: Boo Seungkwan/Chwe Hansol | Vernon, Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Yoon Jeonghan, Jeon Wonwoo/Kim Mingyu, Kwon Soonyoung | Hoshi/Lee Jihoon | Woozi, Wen Jun Hui | Jun/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Comments: 16
Kudos: 23





	1. Begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sO  
> this is my first fic hi  
> .  
> thanks so much if you clicked on this i hope u like it  
> vote for seventeen, semicolon aoty

Seungkwan closed his eyes as he felt coolness enveloping him, relieving him of all the burdens he’d felt the past year.

Opening his eyes, he took in the cool blue that surrounded him, the dancing rays of light and the glistening surface above that beckoned. Pushing forward, Seungkwan broke the surface of the water to take a breath, only to be splashed again with laughter and snorts coming from every direction.

“Come on, that was a total nine out of ten,” He complained, only to be dunked again.

“Oh no, that was definitely a solid two.” Wonwoo snorted as Seungkwan resurfaced only to glare at him again. Hansol patted his head affectionately.

“Won, that was clearly at least a five.” Hansol grinned,as they both looked at Seungkwan. Seungkwan huffed, swatting Hansol’s hand away as he looked to Chan for support.

“I think this classifies as bullying,” Chan commented from where he was watching from a deck chair, a smile growing in amusement. 

“Thank you,” said Seungkwan, glaring at both offenders who grinned back at him shamelessly. “Sorry that I’m wasting my amazing jumping talents on tasteless idiots when I could just mentor Chan.”

Chan’s smile was wiped as soon as he heard that , “W-well, on second thoughts,” He said, standing up and backing away slowly. “I just remember I have some stuff I need to take care of.”

Seungkwan closed his eyes. “Why am I friends with you lot again?”

“Because you love us.” Hansol’s hand was back on his hair, an amused smile on his face as he continued to smooth down Seungkwan’s hair. 

“You’re damn right I do, and lucky while you’re at it,” Seungkwan muttered, closing his eyes and floating on the water as the sun started to set in the horizon.

They were at Wonwoo’s house, which could be more accurately described as a mansion or “summer house”, as he had once described with air quotes. Slightly isolated, the summer house was elevated with two floors, an actual wooden deck and a swimming pool that was open alongside one length, looking out over their town and the hills surrounding it. One had to drive on the road through the town and take a slight detour uphill to actually get to the house. It was well nestled between the various trees that naturally grew on the hills as well the plants Wonwoo so carefully maintained, enough so that one could not actually see it from the town or the town unless they specifically looked for it.

Initially hesitant about spending time with the new kid in town, the three had easily gotten close to Wonwoo as their childlike fascination, their then inability to understand things like money and status and Wonwoo’s adventurous personality had them getting along like a house of fire. With Wonwoo spending his summers there every year, the four of them had become inseparable, bonded through various escapades in the little town they called home.

Currently relaxing on the deck, Wonwoo rubbed his eyes from under his glasses as they itched from dryness. In addition to travelling, he’d stayed up all night the night before, giving in to the irresistible urge to finish his book. He smiled as he saw Chan get up and sit at the water’s edge with his feet dipped in as Seungkwan and Hansol had another splash war. He frowned as Chan coughed into his palm, trying to be inconspicuous but smiling slightly while watching the pair now grabbing for each other’s feet underwater. Wonwoo felt concerned. When had Chan been sick?

“Anyway,” Hansol said while hoisting himself up and out of the pool, only to sit horizontally facing Chan with his legs crossed. He lowered his voice conspiratorially as he leaned towards Wonwoo. Chan and Seungkwan sighed as if they knew what was coming.

“Did you know there’s been a murder in the town?”

Wonwoo’s mouth fell open. He kept in touch with his friends but none of them ever mentioned someone dying in the town while he was away.

“Sol stop, there’s no point in telling him that now, it was months ago and they’ve already caught the murderer.” Chan sighed, leaning back on his hands.

“What?” Wonwoo sat up straight, looking directly at the three of them. They all exchanged slightly guilty glances. Only slight. “You mean to say, you all had an actual murder investigation and didn’t tell me?!”

“Well, come on, we know life in the city is busy for you and it was super hush hush considering it was the mayor who died.” Seungkwan defended. “It was even solved a month later when they found out who did it.”

“Still!” Wonwoo almost yelled. Life in the city may be busy but it was still a bore to attend all the fancy gatherings his parents held and his mundane school life. Most of his classmates weren’t even interesting until a Chinese exchange student had arrived last year. Jun fit in immediately, with his tall built and handsome face, but for some reason preferred the company of quiet Wonwoo over the rest of their classmates. Wonwoo didn’t mind as he kind of reminded him of his friends here.

“So?” Wonwoo looked expectantly among the slightly guiltier looking faces. The last time he’d almost yelled like that was back in fourth grade when they’d gotten lost on a forest trail and Hansol had ended up tangled in some poison ivy. “Who did it?”

Seungkwan hesitated. Wonwoo felt his uneasiness growing as they exchanged glances with one another.

“Wonwoo,” Seungkwan started hesitantly, as if unsure how to phrase his next sentence. “You remember Mingyu?”

“Who?” Wonwoo scrunched up his nose trying to remember. Mingyu.. Mingyu. The image of a tan boy playing alone in a garden rose in his mind. Recognition lit up his face.

“You mean Kim Mingyu? The mayor’s son?” Dread was rising in his voice. It couldn’t be, that boy he had played with so long ago.

“The same one,” Chan piped up. 

Hansol joined in, “The investigation went on for a few months but it was all super secretive and no one from inside town could talk about it. Most details were limited to only the mayor’s family.” He lowered his voice, adding, “Rumour has it that the mayor was planning some big changes to the town and his wife was against that.”

Wonwoo felt his interest grow as he heard the story. He got up and sat next to them on the deck, the four of them now facing each other with Seungkwan still in the water. The sun had already set by now, its last rays still visible in the now inky sky. 

“How does this connect to Mingyu?” He questioned.

“Well,” Seungkwan started again. “They kept finding evidence, evidence that linked to Mingyu. At first, everyone agreed that it was too easy and too convenient. Besides, he was just sixteen at the time.”

Wonwoo felt his blood run cold. He had thought Mingyu to be much older than the lot of them. In a way he was older than Seungkwan, Chan and Hansol but he was a year younger to Wonwoo. Wonwoo inhaled sharply, heights could be deceptive. 

“But then, none of the evidence ever linked back to his mother or even others in town. It was most puzzling as they had no other leads except Kim Mingyu.” Seungkwan frowned, recollecting how odd it had been.

“And then, he confessed.”

“What?” Wonwoo’s breath was taken from him. “But investigation,” His voice came out as barely a whisper.

Seungkwan shook his head. “It got taken to court and the judge found him guilty. He got let off easy because he’s a minor and was tried as a juvenile. They currently have him under house arrest with rehab in the same place.” He pointed in the direction of the town. “His mother moved because apparently she couldn’t bear to be with her son who had killed the love of her life but she still pays his expenses and everything.”

Wonwoo shook his head and leaned back, digesting everything. Despite the fact that he was still mad over the fact that they’d hidden it from him for a year, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy at the situation. In fact, Seungkwan and Hansol were now the same age as Mingyu when he got arrested and it felt a little too personal to be comfortable.

“We still see him around town though,” Hansol spoke up. “Never talks to anybody, glares at everyone, lot of pent-up frustration in the dude,” He whistled.

“I, for one, don’t think he did it,” Chan declared.

“Dude, nobody thinks he did it,” Seungkwan sighed, pushing his damp bangs out of his eyes. “The whole affair to say the least was...” He frowned, looking for the right word, “...rushed.”

Wonwoo gazed out into darkness now, with the lights of the town looking like little stars down below. He wondered what Kim Mingyu must be up to right now.

“Well,” He said, with a thoughtful silence looming over all of them. “It’s finally time for dinner.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh yes  
> i may have just  
> yeah...
> 
> :D


	2. Chwe Hansol.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LMAO WHAT WAS CARNIVAL POOR SHUA  
> rip GoSe editors lol
> 
> but
> 
> that
> 
> ending 
> 
> tho...
> 
> UWU

“No Sol, we are not eating Cheetos for dinner!”

Seungkwan looked appalled as he stared disbelievingly at Hansol barely visible over the packs of Cheetos stacked in his hands. Chan mirrored Seungkwan’s expression as he hurriedly pushed past the two with their basket. 

“But Kwan,” Hansol whined, following Seungkwan as the latter made a u-turn towards the vegetable section only to blink in surprise as his grip on the packs of Cheetos loosened and they went flying. Seungkwan was standing very still in front of Hansol which had caused him to drop the packets.

Hansol watched in amusement as a very rigid Seungkwan deflated in a single groan to reveal a very confused looking Wonwoo holding the same, if not more, number of chocolate bars as Hansol’s cheetos. 

“Seriously, how did you two not die of heart disease or become obese yet,” Seungkwan complained from the floor as he watched Hansol let out a whoop, abandoning his cheetos, as he tried, unsuccessfully, to high five Wonwoo. Wonwoo clutched his chocolate protectively.

“Hey guys, what do you think of having ramen for din-” 

Seungkwan, Hansol and Wonwoo froze, eyes wide, as Chan rounded the corner before stopping in his tracks to take in the scene before him. Seungkwan on the floor, Hansol mid-high five, Wonwoo with his chocolate and of course, the sea of cheetos that surrounded the three.

Chan sighed. 

“You know what, I’m not even going to ask, we are having ramen for dinner.” He threw his hands up and turned abruptly, tugging his basket along determinedly. The incriminating three exchanged wide eyed looks with each other before scrambling after him.

“Chan,” the eldest tried. “Think about all the healthy food you’ve been fed all year. Not only at home, but even school. And it’s finally summer.” Wonwoo made a face as he emphasised the last word, traumatizing memories of the school food returning.

Seungkwan, on the other hand, glared at Wonwoo before shoving the piece of broccoli he was holding into Chan’s face. The poor boy had to stop mid-step to not die by suffocation by green veggie.

“W-what,” Chan sputtered.

“Think about all the health benefits of broccoli to ramen. Not only this,” Seungkwan waved his broccoli around while Wonwoo and Hansol exchanged nervous looks.

“CUSTOMIZABLE RAMEN!” Seungkwan yelled. His eyes gleamed, “Not only do we get to eat something we like but we get healthy by it!” By now Seungkwan was attracting attention from other customers as well. Chan caught a couple looking at them curiously, the girl stifling a laugh as they made their way to the cashier.

“Kwan.” 

It was Hansol, who took Seungkwan firmly by the shoulder. Chan shot him a grateful look. Being the youngest, Chan ironically acted the most responsible out of all of them.

“We compromise.” Hansol’s voice came out firm and clear. “We eat ramen for dinner with two vegetables,” He shot a look at Seungkwan, “and two bars of chocolate.”

Chan nodded, looking to Seungkwan and Wonwoo for affirmation, which he got.

“Just one more thing,” There was a suspicious look on Hansol’s face as they finished billing their items and he addressed the cashier. 

The three boys’ eyes bugged as Hansol proceeded to pull out four packets of cheetos from behind him as if by magic. Hansol grinned as he set them down on the counter before anyone could react. “These too please.”

Hansol kept his grin all the way home. No amount of the indignant yelling and repetitive complaining, or silent treatment in Wonwoo’s case, could ruin Hansol’s night after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we're easing into it woohoo  
> also help idk how to use this website if u see glitches it's not me aaah


	3. Kim Mingyu

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> very unedited but ya girl's exams ended today and she needs to pass out for at least 9 hours now

Kim Mingyu was bored.

Laying on his bed, his quilt tossed aside, he watched his hand play with the light filtering through his bedroom window, throwing orange shadows on the adjacent wall. He wished he could capture how pretty the shadows looked on his hand but knowing the quality of the one camera he was allowed to possess, he knew he was better off enjoying the present moment than trying.

Stretching himself out in bed, he winced as he heard his spine crack twice along with his leg joints. Sitting all day at the library was doing him no good and the one hour he was allowed at the gym wasn’t proving to be enough for the rest of his muscles. He made up his mind to incorporate some proper stretches before bed from the next day onwards, despite the extra effort it would take to convince Jeonghan.

A car passed through the road in front, momentarily whitening the orange hues in his room. Mingyu returned to staring at the ceiling motionless.

He had no idea what time it was. His past self would scoff at his present self’s ignorance, but he simply couldn’t bring himself to care. Not when there was another day looming up ahead, a day supposed to symbolise new beginnings, hope and possibilities but instead consumed him with feelings of numbness and emptiness.

Not when every part of his day was planned, scheduled, controlled by someone other than him in activities completely pointless to him. At one point of time, he had leaped at the chance of planning out his days, of making use of every single minute, every opportunity presented to him.

But that was before the accident.

Maybe that’s why he’d never bothered making friends with the rest of the kids his age. Maybe that’s why he’d thrown himself into every activity available. Maybe that’s why every alliance he ever made went down in flames because he was so goddamn competitive and he didn’t even realize it.

Looking back, Mingyu realizes it wasn’t worth it. It hadn’t been worth it, trying to prove his worth to someone who didn’t even see him. See him for who he truly was under his exterior.

He was well aware he was conventionally handsome. He was aware of it to the point of coming to hate the way he looked not only because it was a reflection of his parents, who were too politically motivated to care about him, but also the reason for his ostracization. Driving to shoots, specific instructions, countless touch-ups, whispered reassurances, all built up to his teenage hood when he had suddenly been struck with the realization.

He had no one.

All the boys in town had grown up with one another. Cliques had been established. Summer acquaintances settled on. His family’s hostile reputation, no longer masked by childish ignorance.

Although, Mingyu supposed, it had partly been his fault as well. Countless hours spent in front of the mirror practicing the serious face of his envied after by fellow models, his poker face was good.

Perhaps a little too good, he thought, turning over and thinking back to the days when everything hadn’t been so fucked, back when he was still pretending not to let the prickling gazes perturb him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i get this starts kinda slow but bear with me pls, it's my first fic and i'm trying aaaah
> 
> (also wow, my chapters look short here, i'll make them bigger i promise)


	4. Yoon Jeonghan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> late thursday update but a update nonetheless  
> aLSO OMG DON'T LIE 2 HAHAHA HOSHI MY BBY CALM SJBFSJFN  
> real talk tho, thought they'd have to perform like an exorcism on him halfway through the game lmao uwu

The lights were too bright.

Yoon Jeonghan squinted in annoyance as he entered the neon mart, basket in hand, from the darkness of the streets. Knowing he had no other choice if he actually had to eat the next day, he counted items off the grocery list in his hand, trying to decipher the messy handwriting that was miles from his own.

“CUSTOMIZABLE RAMEN!”

A shriek brought his attention to the vegetable section where a group of boys who couldn’t have been much younger than him were involved in an amusing face-off on who was allowed to buy what food. Jeonghan hid a snort as he walked in further and noticed the packets of cheetos surrounding the lot. He could say with certainty something definitely went down there.

The boys out of eyeshot (but definitely not out of earshot), Jeonghan commenced to systematically sort through the shelves at the mart, picking out only what was required and frowning periodically at the lack of quantity specification for some of the stuff on his list.

He tried to remain focused on his task at hand as the group of boys left the store, no longer giving him a distraction to focus on anything other than the neon white lights. They reminded him too much of that one surgery room, the news that had him banished to an alpine town in the middle of nowhere.

Jeonghan released a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding as he dropped some cinnamon into his cart. He should’ve already been working in the city somewhere if he hadn’t missed placements by a whisker during his recovery period. 

As luck would have it, one of his seniors at college who worked at a newly opened government-run psychology department recommended hime. While the job was stable enough, the hours were long and the pay meagre due to the experimental nature of the department and his rank within it. Still, Jeonghan was grateful. It could have been worse. With a few years of experience under his belt, he was determined to struggle it out under his contract for three years before making it out there.

Of course, his posting in the middle of nowhere wasn’t helping. Nor was trying to rehabilitate an uncooperative patient.

Jeongha didn’t believe he did it. Nobody he knew believed he did it. The whole matter was too suspicious for its own good and every attempt at re-investigation was being rejected. 

As far as Jeonghan was concerned Mingyu was just a patient. A tall one nonetheless, but a patient.

And a kid. 

Jeonghan tried to smile as he filled his basket with chocolate chip cookies. Mingyu may have been trying to be discreet, but Jeonghan noticed his guilty stares towards the cookie jar and how they’d been periodically disappearing each night. It probably wasn’t good for his physical health, but neither were one word answers and the immediate nonchalance moment he thought Jeonghan even glanced at him was good for his mental health.

It was almost as if he never got a chance to be a kid.

Yet his easy poise and charming smile were deceptive. To anyone who hadn’t lived with him twenty four seven like Jeonghan had for a while now, Mingyu was a well-mannered, charming kid with a fatalistic sense of humour that threw an uncomfortable shadow over casual conversation. He was open to meeting new people, yet with his rehearsed words and fake smiles, kept everyone at an arm’s length. 

Jeonghan knew it was someone else, that Mingyu had been framed. He knew that that someone else was right here, a seemingly innocent resident of this quaint alpine town.

He smiled to himself as he picked up a box of chocolate ice cream.

He had all the time in the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THEY FINALLY CROSS PATHS BUT NOT EXACTLY THE WAY YOU THOUGHT
> 
> idek if anyone's even reading at this point but this fic is my baby now so here


	5. Choi Seungcheol

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, i'm really sorry for disappearing for a week and missing last thursday. long story short, a lot of shit went down with my school and stuff and it was just very emotionally draining leaving me unable to write. i intended to double update to make up for it but then again, school happened:/ anyway, ig this is a sort of longer chapter that the other so enjoy:DD
> 
> [also all of this is so unedited so if you see any errors, feel free to point them out uwu]

Seungcheol turned over restlessly, his sheets tangling in his legs as he tried to find a comfortable spot in his bed. Lying on his back, staring at the ceiling, he finally decided to give up on sleep and sat up, taking in his familiar room in the darkness of the night. Brushing his hair out of his face, his eyes fell on the small digital clock that stood on his bedside.

3:43 AM.

He exhaled. He’d forgotten to refill his prescription of sleeping pills that month and didn’t realize he was out till that day when he came back from a particularly stressful day at the precinct. Realizing how sweaty he was, he decided he would be better off in the shower rather than his fruitless quest for a good night’s sleep. Pushing his way out from his bedclothes and into the bathroom, he let out a long exhale.

He looked like a ghost.

His skin prickled in the heat of the night as Seungcheol gazed at himself in the mirror, his breaths deep as he considered himself. Regular workouts had left him with a muscular build which helped his reputation as a no nonsense commanding officer at the police department. However, that didn’t help the pale skin, dark circles and the rat’s nest now occupying the top of his head.

Wincing slightly, he determined it would be useless to try and go back to sleep. Pulling on a pair of joggers instead, he grabbed his earphones and set out into the chilly night air instead.

It started raining slightly. Seungcheol turned his face up to feel the drops on his face. He hadn’t brought any protection and couldn't guarantee not catching a cold, but at least the weather seemed to be on his side for the time being.

Seungcheol loved the rain. He had loved it since he was a kid, the reprieve it brought him from the overbearing sunshine in the summer, the cool winds that accompanied it in the monsoon and the mysterious fogs it brought along in the winters. The best was the spring rain, bringing rainbows reflected from the weak sunshine and droplets accumulated among the blooming trees and flowers of the region.

Thinking back to his hometown nestled among the hills, Seungcheol couldn’t help but smile at the memories as the rain sped up, drenching him thoroughly in the process. Getting into the police academy had been euphoric and he loved his job even more, even with all the odd hours. However at times like this, nostalgia overtook him as he remembered playing in front of his parents house with late night trips to the supermarket with his friends and finding new trails to follow in the forest.

As much as he missed the clean air of the hills, he knew he had needed the freedom the city brought him. With the many places he could go at any time of the day (read night) when he just wanted to get away from the disconnect he felt around him, he relished the feeling of the cool breeze bringing his drenched self to a shiver under the hazy streetlights.

He’d probably catch a cold soon enough. But now, in a city alive with its pulsating lights and endless possibility, he couldn’t bring himself to care.

***

Nursing his second coffee of the day, Seungcheol shot a distasteful look at the to-do pile getting higher as the day went on. CO was mainly a desk job and while he liked the raise the rank brought him, he missed being out on the field. He could swear his bottom had left permanent indentations in the cushions of his chair.

“Seungcheol darling, there you are!” A voice purred by the door. Seungcheol dropped in his chair. At any other time he would’ve loved the distraction but his secretary’s never ending energy was a bit much to deal with at times, especially now with the congestion in his head.

“What’s wrong darling?” Chaeyoung plopped down on the couch in his office, her lighthearted tone laced with concern. “A hangover,” She guessed, and Seungcheol shook his head. Chaeyoung sat up.

“You got laid.” Seungcheol knew there would be a devious grin on her face as he scoffed. Chaeyoung be damned, he had paperwork to finish there was only so much his head could take after his impulsive romp the night before. 

“Well,” Chaeyoung got up dusting her hands, “Whatever it is, it has to wait because the boss wants to meet you.” At Seungcheol’s disbelieving gaze, she hastily clarified, “The higher-ups.”

Seungcheol immediately straightened, his hands unconsciously straightening his tie as he stood. Nodding at Chaeyoung, he prepared himself for their entry into his office. Noticing Chaeyoung left one of the cushions on the couch crooked, he frowned and crossed the room, straightening it. His head still hurt, but his personal problems could wait.

“Choi Seungcheol?”

His head whipped around so fast, Seungcheol almost lost his balance. Managing to catch it at the last second, he stepped into attention. 

“Yes sir.”

The officer gestured to him to sit, watching Seungcheol cross the room as he settled himself into one of the chairs in front of his desk. Clasping his hands, Seungcheol briefly wondered what the visit was about, his racing thoughts halted as the officer began to speak.

“The Kim Murders.”

Instantly, as if a switch had been flipped, Seungcheol felt anxiety creeping into his being as his hands began to fidget in his lap.

“What about them?” Seungcheol had a feeling about why he was in this meeting and it involved some not necessarily pleasant past experiences. Something didn’t feel right.

The cogs in his brain barely began to turn as he blurted something out, a blush dusting his face when he realized he had interrupted his superior, a look of annoyance crossing the man’s face. It caused him further embarrassment when he realized he couldn’t remember a single word he’d said in the last minute.

“Sorry sir,” He muttered, dropping his gaze. His superior waved his hand impatiently. “Ask what you want to,” He sighed, taking off his cap.

“Murders sir? Plural?” He questioned. Last he was aware, only Mingyu’s dad was dead.

Mingyu. That was a name he hadn’t thought about for a long time. He briefly wondered how the kid was doing, hoping he hadn’t changed too much. The memory in Seungcheol’s brain was of a gawky kid with too long limbs, an expression of pure joy and wonder on his face as he gazed at the kite that Seungcheol had taught him to fly. It was the first time he’d managed it on his own and Seungcheol would never forget Mingyu’s wide smile, his own pride bursting in his chest and the clear skies promising good times ahead.

The slap of a file against the wood of his desk brought Seungcheol back to the present. He gazed at the blue file in front him before meeting the tired eyes of his superior. The man rubbed his forehead tiredly.

“That’s what I’ve come to talk to you about.” The officer leaned forward.

“Kim Min-Sung is dead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUNN
> 
> ALSO  
> Y'ALL  
> SVT VS GOSE  
> IT WAS SO CUTE  
> CHOI SEUNGCHEOL BEST LEADER
> 
> (ALSO NOT @ THEM CHANGING THE LYRICS OF HIT AND RUBBING IT IN SHFBKAJFK POOR STAFF)


	6. Jeon Wonwoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> update schedule nonexistent because actual schedule be in literal pieces;-;  
> okay but fr though, GoSe 2020 officially ended and they've changed the schedule which makes me sad  
> on the upside, INCOMPLETE ON 23 WOOT WOOT *ignores the fact that i won't be able to attend because of exams*
> 
> anyway, all my chapters are so super short and unedited it make me want to cry but at the same time, i figured i'd just write. i have a basic skeleton of the story down and totally intend to finish this properly (before probably coming back to edit it) but yes sporadic updates before finals end.

They were back at his house, Hansol and himself sprawled on the couch while Seungkwan and Chan tired themselves out. At some point, the two had stopped competing at karaoke and harmonizing instead, with Chan busting out some dance moves that Seungkwan followed along to, no questions asked. Wonwoo turned his eyes in askance to Hansol wondering how the hell they were still going but Hansol just shook his head before flopping his head down on the opposite end once again.

Wonwoo sighed and decided, if they were to spend another four hours here they might as well get some food. Hansol followed him to the kitchen as he crossed the open plan ground floor of his house. He got some instant noodles from the cupboard and got the water boiling. He turned to possibly grab something to have alongside only to see Hansol next to the fridge, a popsicle in his mouth. He shrugged and grinned at him and all Wonwoo could do was roll his eyes in return before turning back to make sure their noodles hadn’t become an evaporation experiment. 

“Did I ever tell you you’re the best Wonwoo?” Seungkwan croaked as he and Hansol set the bowls down beside the two now exhausted boys. “What about me?” Hansol demanded, “I helped too!”

Seungkwan leaned forward and patted his head encouragingly, “Good boy, Hansollie.”

Wonwoo and Chan exchanged amused glances as Hansol sat back on the couch disgruntled, grumbling something under his breath about never feeding the likes of Seungkwan again. 

“So,” Seungkwan started, slurping his noodles. Chan winced.

“So?” Hansol raised an eyebrow.

So,” Wonwoo added, wondering where this was going. Chan silently ate his noodles, knowing what was coming.

“We found a new trail the other day,” Seungkwan started. Hansol’s eyes lit up in recognition as he continued. Wonwoo’s interest was piqued. They had this tradition of exploring the forest around the town, finding new trails every summer. Wonwoo still remembered how it had started. Chan had stumbled across one when they were kids sometime near twilight and while initially scared, curiosity had won them over as they made their way back the next day, prepared with supplies to soothe Seungkwan’s paranoia. They had been hanging out near the rather precariously situated playground, a high wall of barbed wire the only barrier between them and a cliff. They weren’t young enough to be out that late but old enough to not be watched by wary parents.

While one side of the playground was bordered by a house that led into the neighbourhood, the other branched off into a part of the forest. Considering it was quite close to the road, there wasn’t enough to warrant concern over possible danger from wild animals in the area. Well, that and another slightly lower wall of barbed wire, blunted at the ends that pointed to the inside. In this very wall, Chan had managed to wriggle through a hole and disappear that day, much to everyone’s worry, but the adventure the next day was worth the next few years of exploring the woods.

The hole had long since been closed up but the boys kept up their tradition unbeknownst to their parents. Besides, Seungkwan’s paranoia had rubbed off on Wonwoo and while the rest of them kept snacks and gauze, he made sure they didn’t get lost. Hansol’s calming presence made up for their tightly strung personalities and Wonwoo found it quite a neat delegation really.

“It’s right behind the tree house and I can’t believe we didn’t notice it before but honestly it’s so well hidden you have to look a certain way to even notice it in the first place!” Chan babbled excitedly.

Wonwoo’s curiosity was piqued. “Where behind the tree house?” He inquired, running an image of the thick undergrowth in his mind. “Don’t most of those lead nowhere?”

“That’s the thing, this one led further than the others though.” Hansol interrupted. “We decided to take it because you never know where this stuff leads,” He paused, glancing at the who nodded simultaneously. They clearly remembered the cave they had once found, absolutely gorgeous with its entry in a clearing and moss and a river right beside. It had also been absolutely bat-ridden with Seungkwan running out screaming but they ignored that for self-preservation purposes.

“Besides, we thought this would be like the others, a dead end or possibly another picnic spot,” Hansol continued. “But it turned out to go on longer than either one of us expected and despite the initial thickness of the underbrush, it was actually well-used as it went upwards.”

“Wait, so you mean that someone is possibly wandering around in the woods and even knows of our clubhouse?” Seungkwan demanded. Wonwoo shifted uncomfortably. That didn’t sound right. Barely anyone in this town went into the forest, and even if they did, they rarely went in as deep as the clubhouse.

“You sure it isn’t one of the lumberjacks looking for a better spot?” Wonwoo asked. Hansol shook his head.

“The lumberjacks have their own specified areas, especially with all that pressure from environmental groups from years ago,” He explained. “Their specified areas for high altitude trees were far away from where we were.”

“And you’re sure of the direction?” Seungkwan asked, exchanging a glance with Wonwoo. Hansol rolled his eyes. 

“You do realize we spend the school year without your dear darling Wonwon here right,” He drawled. Seungkwan flushed and pushed him and Chan dissolved into peals of laughter. Seungkwan sat back down with a huff. “Jerk,” He muttered.

Wonwoo felt his own smile growing despite the gnawing feeling in his stomach. He knew he didn’t exactly belong here and would never be as close to the three as they were with each other, but he was still eternally grateful for the friendship they gave him.

“Let’s go tomorrow then?” Wonwoo asked, casting his eyes around the room. Seungkwan immediately brightened. “Yeah, I want to see what the big deal is that these cowards couldn’t go on,” He declared, poking Chan in the eye inadvertently. Chan gasped and pushed him off the couch. Seungkwan took Wonwoo with him to the floor as Wonwoo uselessly grabbed at a cushion for stability. The cushion hit Hansol, starting a pillow fight which lasted for about ten minutes ending with all four boys red faced and breathless on the floor. 

“You’re paying for the food,” Seungkwan told Hansol as he flopped onto his side. “But I won,” Hansol protested, inciting a snort from Chan.

“You’re so paying for the food.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i love friendship you make a love commitment to this other person to steal your food, insult you and smack you down but at the same time good friends never throw you under the bus it makes my heart warm just thinking about nice friendships
> 
> [it's also 4 am rn but I'm soft ok let me have this while i cry over exams]


End file.
